Maternity Stories

SARAH & KATE

It's a girl!

"I felt I was exactly where I was supposed to be, with exactly who I was supposed to be with," said Sarah Godfrey when describing the birth of her first child, Kate. She and husband Mike were thrilled by their birth experience in the HCMC Birth Center. The two had prepared a birth plan which included not knowing the sex of the baby until its arrival. Mike was the one who proudly announced, "It's a girl!" The Birth Center provides family-centered care from admission to discharge. Sarah was impressed that her baby was not "whisked away" right after she was born. Instead Kate was immediately placed on her mother's chest and they shared skin-to-skin contact. Kate and Sarah also stayed together in the same room throughout their stay. HCMC was recently designated a Baby-Friendly Hospital, which means we have been recognized as a center of excellence for maternity care practices and infant feeding.

DANNIELLE

Being Here Feels Like Home

For Dannielle Stanifer, coming to Hennepin County Medical Center is like coming home. Dannielle was born here, grew up receiving care here, and gave birth to her two children here. Through the years, her health care providers have kept her at the center by getting to know her as a person and respecting her choices. Dannielle would say that the staff at HCMC are like family. She even describes her midwife as a mother figure who lovingly eased the next generation of Stanifer patients into the world.

KALLIE

The Little Things

When it comes to a newborn's health, nurse Kallie Graham knows that close contact with family is just as important as excellent clinical care. But in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit, where babies are surrounded by intimidating machines and families worry about the harmful effects of the slightest touch, making those connections can be difficult. Kallie makes sure they happen by involving families with the little things and showing them what a big difference they can make—in a word, by keeping them at the center. "I love seeing how parents look when they realize they can do it, that they can care for their premature baby."